Islanders vs. Blues prediction, odds, pick - 10/17/2024
The New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues started their seasons differently. The Islanders lost two consecutive games, while the Blues won two straight before evening their record with back-to-back losses. The Islanders feel like the return of their starting goalie will be the boost they need to return to the postseason race. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with an Islanders-Blues prediction and pick.
Here are the Islanders-Blues NHL odds , courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Islanders-Blues Odds
New York Islanders: -1.5 (+195)
Moneyline: -135
St. Louis Blues: +1.5 (-240)
Moneyline: +115
Over: 6 (-105)
Under: 6 (-115)
How To Watch Islanders vs. Blues
Time: ET/PT
Stream: fuboTV ( Free Trial )
Why the Islanders Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Islanders didn't have a great start to the season after they lost their home opener to the Utah Hockey Club in overtime and then got shut out by the Dallas Stars in their first road game. However, they looked good in a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche may not look good right now after starting the year 0-4, but they still have a talented roster and the Islanders can hang their hats on the performance.
Ilya Sorokin has lost his starting goaltender job after Patrick Roy decided to start Semyon Varlamov in the first two games. Sorokin proved why he should still be the starter against Colorado, stopping 32 of 34 shots for the team's first victory. Roy hasn't tipped his hand on which way he will go in this game, but he will likely give Sorokin a second consecutive start. Sorokin had a slow start to training camp after an off-season surgery had him behind everyone else in his training.
Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blues looked like they may prove the doubters wrong and compete in the Western Conference after their first two games. They had a massive comeback victory over the Seattle Kraken on opening night, falling into a two-goal lead but rallying for three straight goals and a 3-2 win. They followed that effort with a 5-4 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks, but have dropped two consecutive games since. Their biggest concern has been offense, and it is causing problems over the last two games with just four goals in losses to the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild.
The Blues have some weapons that can succeed against a questionable Islanders' blue line. Jordan Kyrou leads the team with two goals and four assists in four games. Meanwhile, Pavel Buchnevic has the most goals with three. The Blues' biggest problem this season was replacing the offensive output from the backend of Torey Krug. Krug will likely miss the season with an ankle issue. St. Louis addressed this issue by signing Philip Broberg to an offer sheet. The risk is paying off early, as he recorded a goal and three assists over his first four games.
Final Islanders-Blues Prediction & Pick
The Islanders needed Ilya Sorokin to return to his 2022-23 form if they would succeed this season. Sorokin had a .924 save percentage and six shutouts that season, as he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the first time. Sorokin's play regressed in 2023-24 but battled an injury for parts of the season. He wasn't ready to begin the year because of surgery to fix that issue, but he looked in mid-season form on Monday night.
If Sorokin is the starter, take him to outlast the Blues and grab another win for the Islanders.
